Programs and Special Situations or Conditions

Depression is a common problem during and after pregnancy. It is a serious illness that can impact you and the health of your baby, so it is important to seek professional help.

The COMPASS Program is here to support you with the care you need. We collaborate closely with you and your obstetric provider to improve your mood. We offer many effective treatment options including medication and talk therapy. The COMPASS care team consists of a maternal-fetal medicine physician who specializes in perinatal depression (Emily Miller, MD, MPH).

Maternal Diabetes Care

With our team of maternal-fetal medicine physicians, a dedicated endocrinologist (Emily D. Szmuilowicz, MD, MS), and an advanced practice nurse (Charlotte Niznik, APN, CDE), we provide comprehensive care for women who are pregnant and have diabetes, whether you have type 1, type 2 diabetes or develop diabetes during your pregnancy (gestational diabetes). We also encourage you to meet with a health nutrition educator at the Health Learning Center to learn more about nutrition counseling, appropriate meal plans, and carbohydrate counting.

Chicago Institute for Fetal Health

The Chicago Institute for Fetal Health provides comprehensive pre-birth counseling and pediatric-care planning for pregnant women carrying babies with medical problems. The maternal-fetal medicine specialists work in a multidisciplinary approach with their pediatric colleagues to empower families to understand their baby’s diagnosis, prepare for the birth, learn what to expect after birth and provide the specialized follow-up care needed for all babies, regardless of where they are born.

Placenta Accreta Care

Placenta accreta occurs when the placenta (the organ that provides nutrients and other support to your developing fetus) attaches too deeply into the uterine muscular wall. This is a serious condition that can cause complications for you and your baby, especially during delivery. However, these complications and risks can be managed effectively when treated by experienced specialists.

Our staff is well-trained and experienced with managing placenta accreta and will provide a multidisciplinary approach (involving multiple specialists including obstetricians, anesthesiologists, gynecologic oncologists, and interventional radiologists) to care for you.

Management of Fetal Anemia

If your fetus is at risk for developing anemia or has signs that it has developed anemia, we have the expertise, experience, and equipment to evaluate and treat this condition, including intrauterine blood transfusions.

Reproductive Genetics

Our colleagues in the Division of Clinical Genetics are highly trained, compassionate physician-geneticists and genetic counselors, who specialize in providing the most current genetic counseling and testing available. For more information, click here.

Women's HIV Program

The Women's HIV Program at Northwestern Memorial Hospital offers comprehensive multidisciplinary perinatal HIV care to women, including a team of high-risk obstetricians and infectious disease subspecialists alongside perinatal HIV nursing, social work, psychology, and pharmacology. This program provides obstetric care for women living with HIV. In addition, the Women's HIV Program offers preconception counseling for women living with HIV as well as counseling to allow for safe conception in sero-different couples. For more information, please click here.